TODAY’S SIGNATURE VERSE ••• Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22:46 NKJV)
PRAISE & PRAYER PROMPT ••• This week, we learned of a Chinese balloon flying 60,000 feet over Montana… and last night, as I was driving home, I learned that the balloon was shot down on the coast of South Carolina; our military is now trying to recover it to learn more about it.
It’s a scary time, y’all. That balloon has raised a whole lot of questions.
It reminded me there’s a lot of complacency in our country. Wars happen in Ukraine and other far away countries. Nothing is going to happen to America, right?
We are foolish to believe that.
I used to believe it. But I remember the morning of 9/11. It was only 21 years ago, but so much of our country has fallen into that very dangerous trap of complacency again.
We even flirt with our enemies. And I fear this balloon is a harsh reminder of that danger.
I’ll leave the politics out of this blog, but let’s look at that balloon from a spiritual perspective.
Many of us see certain temptations as a non-issue. Or perhaps, even more arrogantly, we think we have mastered our temptations. And then, just as we get comfy, we find a temptation we assume we can resist floating over our lives. Like a balloon, that temptation may seem innocent, but it’s full of potential danger.
What should we do? Let it float for days?
Or shoot it down?
The Bible advises we are to shoot it down. Immediately.
In one of His last conversations with the disciples before His crucifixion, Jesus told them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation” (Luke 22:46). Jesus had commanded the disciples to pray… He wanted them prepared and strengthened for the hours to come. He knew too well that the temptation to run would be there… He knew the temptation to lose faith was real… and He knew, especially for Peter, the temptation to deny Him was coming. So Jesus told the disciples to pray.
We have the same order: pray. We are, after all, in a very real war. There is an ongoing spiritual taking place all around us. Our enemy wants to take us down! Trust me, if you have an active faith in Jesus, you have a target on your back! As strong as your faith may be, you can never assume you are immune to the temptations that threaten you! And certainly, we cannot flirt with our enemy and expect no consequences.
A strong prayer life is an essential weapon against the temptations that float into our lives. It’s our lifeline to the Holy Spirit. And we can’t treat it like a daily checklist — we should never put a checkmark beside “pray.” Paul wrote that we should pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). That means the lines of communication are always open between the Lord and us.
So when the temptation hovers over us, our prayers can shoot straight through them and directly to our Heavenly Father, who equips us and protects us.
What balloons are hovering over you? Pray to the Lord… and trust the power of constant prayer that through His strength, you can avoid being a battleground… because when you can resist the devil, he will flee (James 4:7).
Today, as you pray, thank God for the power of prayer. Ask Him to help you resist the temptations that threaten you. Ask Him for the wisdom and strength to be armed against them and to fight constantly on your knees. And pray for our nation — pray for the revival we desperately need and pray for our leaders to make wise choices in the coming days and weeks.
SHARING ••• My Grace-Full Life is written by Denise Heidel. You are welcome to share anything I write, but please credit my writing and graphics accordingly. Visit www.MyGraceFullLife.com to read past blogs. Subscribe through my website to have My Grace-Full Life delivered to your email. You can unsubscribe at any time. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the NKJV translation.
